Bringing some respite to the strict weekend lockdown restrictions in Haryana amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the state government on Friday said that malls and shops in the market places of urban areas will remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of weekends as instructed earlier. Only those dealing in essential goods and services will operate on Mondays and Tuesdays.

 

The revised advisory comes a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on weekends throughout the state. "...To contain further spread of COVID-19 in Haryana, shopping malls and shops, except those dealing with essential goods and services shall remain closed on Monday and Tuesday in the market places of urban areas of the state.

 

"Accordingly, there is no bar on opening of shops and shopping malls on Saturday and Sunday in these areas. These orders will be applicable till further orders," a government order said.

 

On August 21, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij had announced a partial lockdown on all weekends across the state. In a tweet, he informed that all offices and shops, except essential, will remain closed in Haryana on every Saturday and Sunday due to COVID-19.

 

According to the Haryana medical bulletin, the state on Thursday reported a spike of 1,293 COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths due to the coronavirus.

The death toll in the state now stands at 646, while the total number of cases is 59,298, it said. Of the 12 fatalities, Rewari, Panchkula and Kurukshetra reported two deaths each, while one person each died in Nuh, Jhajjar, Karnal, Rohtak, Gurugram and Faridabad districts, according to the state health department's daily bulletin.

 

The districts which reported fresh cases include Gurugram (141), Sonipat (123), Faridabad (96), Panchkula (94), Yamunanagar (84), Panipat (79), Rewari (75), Ambala (71) and Hisar (61), it said.

 

The active cases in the state stand at 9,962 while 48,690 people have been discharged after recovery from COVID-19.

 

(With agency inputs)